Island



.G. M. FAIRBANKS. Handle for Files.

No.1225,004l Patented Mar. 2, 1880.

' Pnn'rd-umoemruen, WASHINGTON. nuu

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CRAWFORD M. FAIRBANKS, OF CENTRAL FALLS, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEW AMERICAN FILE COMPANY, OF 'PAWTUGKET, RHODE ISLAND.

HANDLE FOR l-ILES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 225,004, dated March 2,1880.

Application filed September 29, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CRAWFORD M. FAIR- BANKS, of Central Falls, countyot Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have made an Improved Handle for Reversible ThreeGornered Files; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings making a part of the same,- is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the center of my improved handle with a three-cornered reversible file in place therein. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the linema; of Fig. l.

1 My invention is especially adapted to what is known as a reversible three-square taper file. Files of this class are made large at the middle, and gradually taper to a point at either end. In order to use them to advan- 2o tage and without injury to the hands it is necessary to produce a handle which can be easily removed fromone end and placed on the other, and at the same time be firm,like a permanent handle, while attached.

2 My invention consists in a handle provided with a conical hole, in combination with a three-cornered reversible file, the taper of the hole corresponding thereto and the depth of the hole snfficient to receive either half of the file to admit of its reversal. I A

In my invention, A is the file, and B the handle. The handle B is turned from any suitable wood, and is provided with a tapering hole corresponding to the taper of the file 3 5 to receive it, the form of the hole in cross-section being circular. The tapering hole in the handle B extends almost through the same, and is capable of receiving nearly one-half the length of the file.

It will now be readily seen, the hole and the file both being of the same taper, that the lat ter will bear the Whole length of the handle,

except at the extreme end, which will not only result in making the handle much stronger and more durable, but in making it firm upon 5 the file, While it will not injuriously affect its ready removal when desired.

The handle does not bear upon the extreme end of the file, but fetches up before the point of the same reaches the back end of the hole, which renders the handle capable of being easily adjusted to files varying somewhat in size. The hole being circular in crosssection prcvents the contact of the faces of the file with its interior, the edges only of the file bearing thereon; for while it is necessary for the file to come into contact with the wood almost the entire distance that it penetrates in order to make it steady in the handle, it is also neces- 6o sary that the friction should not be great enough to prevent the easy removal of the handle for the purpose of placing it upon the other end of the file.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The handle B, with its conical hole, in combination with the three-cornered reversible file A, the said hole being of sufficient depth to receive either half of the file, and its form in cross section being circular to prevent the faces of the file from coming into contact with its interior, leaving the edges only of the file to bear thereon, whereby an amount of friction is afiorded sufficient to keep the file firmly in place while beirig used, without too much friction to prevent its ready removal when required to be reversed, as and for the purpose specified.

O. M. FAIRBANKS.

Witnesses:

WALTER B. VINCENT, JosEPH T. Bron. 

